DAIRYING IN SOUTH TARANAKI.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue XVIII, 4 September 1912, Page 5

DAIRYING IN SOUTH TARANAKI.

WHAT CAN BE PRODUCED

Although dairying has made wonderful progress in Taranaki within the past few years, it is obvious to everybody that still greater developments "must take place, and that, too, within the immediate future. It has been demonstrated over and over again that the industry has scarcely yet been approached from a scientific point of view, but where experiments have been made the results have been remarkable. Throughout the province this season there has been a general outcry fo rcow-testing, and, when this has been universally adopted and the herds well culled, the yield of butter-fat from the pastures will show an enormous increase. Dairy farmers must soon face the position and keep only the best herds on the high priced lands and scientifically fertilise the pastures to keep them up and in good heart. As illustrating what can be produced from a herd of good Jerseycows on good pasturage, we may quote Messrs A. and J. O'DonelPs experience at Inaha. On one hundred acres they have carried an average of 70 Jerseys for the last two years'.' It is true, the herd is a, very fine one, and comprises several pedigree and 'high grade cows, mostly sired by th© imported bull "Blizzard." but it affords an example of what may be got from a good lot of cows. Off one hundred acres those seventy cows produced 19,000 lbs of butter-fat for the season; or 190 lbs per acre, or an average over the whole seventy cows of ?71 lbs each. With the butter-fat at Is 3d per Ib, the average earnings per cow equals £16 18s 9d. or a revenue from 1.00 acres, from butter-fat alone, of £1187 10s. The tests throughout the season ranged from 4.2 to 7.0, and this herd secured the to paverage (for the season just past) at the Riverdale factory, and was easily ahead of its previous season's records These figures demonstrate what the possibilities of dairy farming are and should be an incentive to every ; farmer in Taranaki to use every effort to bring his herd right up to the Inchest grsde, and to study and practice the scientific fertilisation of the pastures